In 2018, Mike began representing Luis Galarza on his second habeas corpus petition, and lawyer and client remained together as Mike’s career developed and he changed law firms. In 1999, Mr. Galarza was wrongfully charged and convicted of shooting and killing two people in a drug-related robbery. There was no physical evidence tying him to the crime, and the prosecution case relied on jailhouse informants whose interests in testifying were not disclosed to Galarza’s defense counsel.
Adele joined Mike in working on Mr. Galarza’s case in 2023, and they tried the habeas corpus case together in 2023, presenting exculpatory evidence that was previously undisclosed by the State, as well as recantations of witnesses from the original trial and newly discovered DNA evidence from the crime scene that was not from Mr. Galarza or the victims.
After five days of evidence and arguments, and after the petitioner’s post-trial brief was filed, Mike obtained additional evidence that shows the trial prosecutor had actual knowledge that one of his key witnesses admitted to lying to a federal grand jury and that the trial prosecutor had withheld this information from Mr. Galarza, despite his lawyers asking for this type of evidence. In light of the evidence presented at the habeas trial and during post-trial discussions, the State concluded that it had lost faith in Mr. Galarza’s conviction and agreed that the habeas corpus petition should be granted, and the convictions reversed.
Back in the criminal trial court, Mike and Adele continued the fight to free Mr. Galarza from this wrongful conviction. Mr. Galarza was released by the trial court to house arrest in late 2023, and, shortly before a hearing where the trial judge would consider what the trial prosecutor had to say, the prosecution decided to drop all charges against Mr. Galarza in April 2024.
Luis Galarza, The National Registry of Exonerations.